Pritz’s Agency States Girl Group Will Not Change “Nazi-Style” Outfits

Pandagram, the talent agency that represents controversial girl group Pritz, has circulated a press release stating that the act has no intention of dropping the outfits which have drawn criticism from web users and media outlets all over the world.

Web users expressed outrage after the girl group appeared at an event held at a horse racing circuit wearing black blouses and red armbands emblazoned with a black X that, according to some, bear a striking resemblance to Nazi uniforms and swastikas worn during World War II. The group has also released a music video for the song “Pine Tree” that features the girls wearing the outfits.

Pandagram has insisted that the imagery used by the group does not draw any influence from Nazism. In the press release, the agency said, “The song has a hopeful message about persevering through difficulties like an evergreen pine tree. So we used red armbands with X marks to express a strong will and determination.”

The agency also stated, “The X represents arrows running in all directions, bringing about communication and harmony. We are sorry and apologize if we have made people recall the image of the Nazi swastika, and if that has made anyone upset.”

According to the press release, though, the group has no plans to stop performing with the red armbands. The agency wrote, “There is no reason for Pritz to wear Nazi-style armbands. What the girls are wearing is not related with Nazism at all, and we dislike the Nazis as much as anyone else. We don’t want to change these outfits now, because to do so would be to give in to the accusations that this is some kind of noise marketing stunt.”

The agency also added, “We want to sort out this misunderstanding by showing the group’s intention and will. We hope the act can give people some hope though its performances.”